Inkstand.



PATENTED SEPT. 18, 1906,.

J. D. DIGKSON.

INKSTAND.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEB. 19044.

G I F FI G. 5.

FIG 3.

INVE/VTOR A//umey UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES D. DICKSON, OF NEW BRIGHTON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO W. L. MASON AND CO., OF KEENE, NEW HAMPSHIRE, A CORPORATION.

INKSTAND.

Specificaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 18, 1906.

Application filed June 8, 1904. Serial No. 211.695.

To all whom it may ooncern:

Be it known that I, JAMES D. DICKSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Brighton, in tl'e county of Richmond and State of' New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inkstands, of which the following is a speciflcation.

The invention relates to fountain-inkstands. u

The object of the invention is to provide an improved form of inkstand in which a depressible float carrying a dipping-cup is utilized to present ink to the pen as required.

The invention consists in the particular Construction of parts and combination of elements, substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 is a vertical central section of an inkstand involving my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar section of a slightly-modified inkstand. Fig. 3 is a side elevation ot' the float. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the sleeve through which the float rises and falls, and Fig. 5 is a plan of the sealing-washer.

I am familiar with that type of inkstand in which a reservoir closely fittin'g and surrounding the float is ted by an outer reservoir hermetically sealed and containing a supply of ink. In that class, in order to introduce ink into the interior of the inner reservoir for the purpose of supporting the float, and which ink upon pressure of the float is raised into the pen-cup, it is necessary to employ some means for'the introduction of air into the outer reservoir, thus permitting the ink to gain access to the float and interior reservoir. In my improvement I obviate the necessity for the use of`these mechanical eXpedients and their attending inconvenences. v

I am also familiar with that class of inkstand in which a cylindrical well located at the bottom of the reservoir contains a closelyfitting floating piston which, eXerting pressure upon the conflned inkbelow, caus'es it to rise to the pen-cup. The action of the latter is uncertain and necessitates a constant supply of ink in th'e reservoir for its proper action.

In my improved inkstand I do not raise the ink into an interior reservoir, but make use of a reservoir located at the bottom of the well, into which the ink flows by gravity. A float surrounded by a closely -fitting sleeve,' which sleeve reaches down to the surface of the ink contained in the lower reservoir, displaces upon pressure a certain amount of ink from the reservoir and causes it to rise through the ink-tube and to the inkcup. Since the displ'aced inkis prevented from rising intothe upper reservoir, because of the confined air and ink contained therein. and cannot flow except to a small eXtent between the float and the surrounding sleeve, it is therefore forced through the ink-tube and to the pen-cup readily and with certain and decided action. I am not obliged to have the float closely fit the surrounding walls of the lower reservoir. On the contrary, a certain amount of space between the float and the walls of the reservoir is desirable in order to permit the flow of ink into the lower reservoir from the upper reservoir, as will now be stated. As the ink is gradually exhausted from the lower reservoir and .it becomes necessary to supply more ink thereto, the float is lifted by hand, air passes down through the float and under the end of' the sleeve, and rises through the body of fluid in the upper reservoir, thus permitting the fluid from this upper reservoir to flow down into the lower reservoir. The height of the fluid in the lower reservoir is determined by the amount of air thus admitted into the upper reservoir.

The numeral 1 indicates the ink-well. This is preferably of glass or other non-corrodible material and has a lower reservoir 2 and a chamber or upper reservoir 3 above the same.

The chainber 3 may be of any form. The reservoir 2 must conform very nearly in cross-section to the float, which is preferably cylindrical.

A rubber or similar Washer or packing 4 surrounds sleeve 5, which sleeve enters the ink-well from the top and is sealed air-tight by the packing 4.

The sleeve 5 extends downward about to the top of the reservoir 2. Internally the sleeve must conform nearly to the float, but permits the float to rise and fall easily.

The float 6 is of form well known in this I art. It carries a dip-cup 7 at its upper end,

IOO

and a tube 8 communicates with the ink in reservoir 2. The outer wall of the float enters easily into the bore of sleeve 5 and still more easily into the reservoir 2. The lower end of the float lies in a horizontal plane. The float 6 is of such specific gravity as to be sustained by a body of fluid in the reservoirs 2 and 3. Preferably air-chambers 9 in the float maintain the float from too deep immersion in the ink.

The sleeve 5 extends down through the upper part of the ink-Well nearly to or' slightly nto the upper part of the lower reservoir 2 and cuts ofl' the upper reservoir 3 therefrom except by a narrow annular passage 10. When the sleeve 5 is sealed in place in the ink-well, the only escape of any fluid which may be in reservoir 3 is downwardly either into the reservoir 2 or under the end of sleeve 5. The passage 10 admits a slow but not a quick movement of fluid from reservoir 3 to reservoir 2. The float 6 has its lower end normally below the lower end of sleeve 5, and said sleeve extends more or less when in use into reservoir 2. The float must move easily both in the reservoir 2 and in the sleeve 5.

To fill the ink-well, remove ,the float 6 and sleeve 5 and pour fluid in at the open mouth. Then replace the sleeve 5. The fluid should be drawn or poured from inside the sleeve 5 until the fluid in reservoir 2 is about at the height of the bottom of sleeve 5. Then the float is inserted in said sleeve and its lower end extends slightly into the fluid in reservoir 2. When the float is pressed down by the dipping of a pen or by other means, the fluid rises from reservoir 2 through the passage 8 in the float'and into ink-cup 7. The fluid is kept from rising in reservoir 3 by fluid or by air in said reservoir accordingly as reservoir 3 is more or less filled with fluid. The fluid rises very slowly in passage 11, being prevented, probably, by capillary resistance. When pressure 011 the float is released, the float will rise and the fluid in cup 7 flow back into passage 8.

When the ink is so far exhausted in reservoir 2 that it does not rise to the desired height in the pen-cup on depressing the float, the float can be lifted by hand until its lower end is about on a level with the lower end oi' sleeve 5. Air will then pass down through v passage 8 under the end of sleeve 5 and rise in bubbles through the fluid in reservoir 3, replacing a quantity of fluid which then flows down into reservoir 2. The float thus acts as a valve to admit the outer air into reservoir 3 and fluid from reservoir 3 into reservoir 2. When the float is depressed, it cuts off the passage of fluid from the upper reservoir 3 to the lower reservoir 2, although it fits but loosely in said reservoir 2.

In Fig. 2 the sleeve 50 is shown as having a tapered chamber 12 around the upper portion of thefloat to receive ink which might otherwise overflow if the float were too long depressed. The passage 100 is a little wider than passage 10. Washer 40 is tapered. The *Functions are as described for the other form.

My device has many advantages, especially in the fact that n'o close fitting of parts is anywhere required except in the sealing of the sleeve into the ink-well, which is efl'ected by a rubber gasket or Washer, as is common. The float does not fit at all closely either in its sleeve or in reservoir 2, yet the ink rises higher in the dip-cup than its level in the sleeve surrounding said float, notwithstanding the looseness of the flt.

What I claim is 1. An ink-well provided with an upper reservoir and a lower reservoir of less diameter, a sleeve sealed at the top of the well and extending nearly to the lower reservoir, and a float having a dip-cup and an.inktube passing through the sleeve, and loosely fitting the lower reservoir into which it extends.

2. An ink-well having a large closed upper reservoir and a cylindrical lower reservoir communicating therewith, combined with a cylindrical sleeve approximating the diameter of the lower reservoir, extending through the upper reservoir nearly to the mouth of the lowerreservoir, and a cylindrical float passing loosely through the sleeve into the ower reservoir, said float having an ink-tube and dip-cup and having a horizontal lower face.

3. An ink-well having an upper and a lower reservoir, a float extending through the upper and fitting loosely the lower reservoir, and a sleeve surrounding the float, sealed to the well above the upperreser-voir, and extending to the fluid in the lower reservoir when the well is filled, all combined. i

4. In an inkstand, the ink-well having an upper reservoir and a lower reservoir of reduced diameter, a sleeve having an air-tight joint with the ink-well and extending down into the upper and to the mouth of the lower reservoir thereof, and a float within the sleeve approximating in transverse dimensions the interior of the sleeve, but of greater length than the sleeve and extending when in use into the lower reservoir, all combined.

5. In an inkstand, the combination of an ink-well having an upper reservoir and a lower reservoir of less diameter, a sleeve sealed at the mouth of the upper reservoir and extending down past the same, leaving a narrow space between the lower end thereof and the top of the lower reservoir, and a float having a pen-cup at its upper end and projecting through the sleeve into the lower ,reservon rio - reservor below the same, and having a sleeve of substantally the diameter of the lower reservor, sealed in the upper part of the nk- Well, and extend g nearly to the mouth of the lower reservor, thereby formng a passage between the upper and lower reservors which may be substantally cut off by a fioat eXtendng into the lower reservor. ro

'In testmony Whereof I affix my signature in presence of tWO witnesses. 4

JAMES D. DICKSON. Wtnesses:

DANIEL J. CAHALANEY,

JOHN J. DARGEY. 

